Complications

High cholesterol. Levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are often high in people with membranous nephropathy, which greatly increases the risk of heart disease.

Blood clots. With proteinuria, you may lose proteins that help prevent clotting from your blood into your urine. This makes you more prone to having blood clots develop in deep veins or blood clots that travel to your lungs.

Infections. You're more susceptible to infections when proteinuria causes you to lose immune system proteins (antibodies) that protect you from infection.

Nephrotic syndrome. High protein levels in the urine, low protein levels in the blood, high blood cholesterol, and swelling (edema) of the eyelids, feet and abdomen can lead to nephrotic syndrome — a cluster of signs and symptoms that affect your kidneys' filtering ability.

Acute kidney failure. In cases of severe damage to the kidneys' filtering units (glomeruli), waste products may build up quickly in your blood. You may need emergency dialysis to remove extra fluids and waste from your blood.

Chronic kidney disease. Your kidneys may gradually lose function over time to the point where you need dialysis or a kidney transplant.

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